Accessory apparatus for use with phonograph record player



Oct. 16, 1962 J. J. FERRER ETAL.

ACCESSORY APPARATUS FOR USE WITH PHONOGRAPH RECORD PLAYER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 11, 1959 1 IN VEN TOR-5 Jo HN J- FEQQ-Q y PA TQICK ram e A oe/vey Oct. 16, 1962 J. J. FERRER ETAL ACCESSORY APPARATUS FOR USE WITH PHONOGRAPH RECORD PLAYER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 11, 1959 v1! 11111111 IIIIIIIIL'IllIIIIIIIIIl/fl INVENTORS Jo/m J. F 4,951?

A m m M. r E A shi Filed Aug. 11, 1959, Ser. No. 833,113 19 Claims. c1. 274-1 This invention relates generally to the reproduction of sound by phonograph records, and has particular reference to an accessory electrical apparatus for producing signals at selected predetermined times during the playing of a record.

A general objective of the invention is to provide a simplified accessory device which may be readily brought into operative relation to a conventional record player without requiring any special tools or skill. The signals are keyed in a predetermined manner to the musical selection or other sound recording which is being played, and may be used for a variety of educational, entertainment, or other purposes. For example, a listener to a musical recording may be alerted at predetermined time intervals to noteworthy parts of the music and may thus follow the music with the aid of a correlated printed commentary.

It is a more specific object of our invention to provide improvements in an accessory apparatus of the character illustrated and described in the pending application of Hugo Cohn and Joseph L. Bonanno, Serial No. 795,981, filed February 27, 1959.

The functioning of the apparatus to which this invention relates is predicated upon the use of an auxiliary turn-table which is caused to be driven in timed relation to the movement of the record player, and an auxiliary or slave disk mounted on and keyed to the auxiliary turntable. The slave disk is provided with a pro-formed spiral guideway along which a special follower travels as the slave disk rotates. At predetermined intervals mechanism becomes effective to establish or activate an electric circuit which controls the desired signal or signals. Accurate synchronization is achieved by an arrangement whereby the rotative movements of the record itself are relied upon to advance the slave disk. This is accomplished by a means which advances the auxiliary turntable intermittently, there being at least one increment of movement for each complete revolution of the recording. The parts of the device are so oriented that the signal circuit is established and maintained for at least one complete rest period of the slave disk.

One of the features of the present invention resides in the provision of an improved means for actuating the switch controlling the electrically operated drive means that imparts intermittent movements to the auxiliary turntable. This switch is supported alongside of and in proximity to the edge of the record, and the improved switch operating means is one which is adjacent to the edge of the record but is not an integral part of the record itself.

Another improvement provided by the present invention is an electrically operated counter in the signal circuit. The counter is of the well-known type which is provided with means for displaying, upon each actuation thereof, the next of a series of sequential indicia. This greatly enhances the usefulness of the apparatus, and makes it easier for a listener to correlate the alerting signal or signals with a published step-by-step description of the musical theme or other content of the recording.

The improved signal circuit is also provided with a convenience relay by means of which additional electri- BfiSdfZd- Fatented Oct. 16, 1962 cally-operable apparatus, such as a spotlight or the like, may be optionally brought into play.

An important feature of the improved apparatus relates to the construction and mode of operation of the slave disk. As will be pointed out hereinafter, it may be composed of an integral element of plastic or equivalent material, whereby its manufacture is made simpler and less expensive, and whereby its ruggedness and ability to withstand long periods of use are greatly enhanced.

Briefly stated, the improved guideway on the slave disk is provided with variations arranged in alternating relation along its extent. The guideway follower includes a movable arm which rides along the guideway as the slave disk rotates, and is responsive to the variations in the guideway and adapted to control a make-and-break device in the signal circuit. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the guideway is a simple upstanding rail provided with relatively elevated and depressed parts. The guideway follower includes a pivoted arm which rides on the rail, and the movements of this arm as it encounters the high and low spots are employed to control the makeand-break means in the signal circuit. The construction and arrangement of the parts are such that all rubbing contacts are only between non-electric parts, whereby Wear and tear are greatly reduced. Moreover, the make and-break device may be mounted in the guideway follower in a shielded manner, whereby finer contact-point materials may be employed, and reliability of operation thereby enhanced.

A general objective of our invention is to provide an apparatus of the character referred to, and a synchronizing system, which are unusually compact, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to use, reliable in operation, and admirably suited to withstand long periods of use without impairment.

Several ways of achieving these objects and advantages in a practical manner, and such other objectives and advantages as may hereinafter be pointed out, are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in Which FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view of the elements and electric circuits which form parts of an apparatus embodying the features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the improved slave disk by itself;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged and somewhat exaggerated fragmentary cross-sectional view showing the slave disk in osition on the auxiliary turn-table, the cross section being along a diameter as indicated at 33 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a switch which may be employed for controlling the intermittent actuation of the auxiliary turn-table:

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the switch of FIGURE 4 with the top wall removed, to reveal the switch contacts themselves;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 1, showing the elongate housing of the guideway follower, the parts carried thereby, and the manner in which they cooperate with the guideway of the slave disk;

FIGURE 6a is a fragmentary view similar to FIGURE 6, showing the relationship of the parts when the contacts are together;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view along the line 7-7 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a part of the slave disk, shown in cross section, to illustrate the nature of the spiral guideway;

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 8 showing the outer end of the guideway;

FIGURE 10 is a diagrammatic view of the counter,

and the mechanism by means of which it may be oper- I ated;

FIGURE 11 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 illustrating a modification;

FIGURE 12 is a schemtic perspective view to illustrate an alternative form of switch-operating underlay; and

FIGURE 13 is a schematic plan view showing a further modification in the nature and co-action of the underlay and the switch it controls.

A conventional record player 10 is indicated in plan view in FIGURE 1. Mounted on the spindle 11 of its turn-table 12 is a disk-type phonograph record 13. Between the record and the turn-table is a special disk-like underlay 55. It is concentric with the record 13 and has a non-slip upper face so that it moves with the record 13 as the turn-table 12 is rotated. The pick-up arm 14 of the usual reproduction apparatus (not shown) is pivoted in well-known fashion at its end 15, and the opposite end 16 carries a needle which n'des along the groove of the record as the latter rotates continuously.

The auxiliary turn-table 17 and its support 18 are shown in perspective in FIGURE 1. Mounted on the spindle 19 is a slave disk 20 of special character. It is preferably locked against slippage on the turn-table 17 by means of an off-center pin 21. It has a specially formed spiral guideway 56 on its obverse face (FIG- URE 3), this guideway consisting essentially of an upstanding spiral rib or rail. At the outer end of the spiral the rail is preferably formed with a lateral enlargement 57 (see FIGURES 2 and 9); and at the inner end of the spiral the rail may be terminated. in any desired or suitable manner, or the innermost convolution may .be circular and the rail provided with adequate slots so that the guideway follower may continue around the innermost convolution in case it is inadvertently neglected when the end of the guideway has been reached.

The guideway follower consists essentially of an elongate housing 23 in the nature of a pivoted arm, free to swing on the pivot 24 at its rear end. It carries a special make-and break device presently to be described, and a means adapted to ride on the guide rail and to transmit the variations 'in the latter to the make-andbreak device.

The spindle 19 of the auxiliary turn-table 17 is rotated intermittently. One way of achieving this result is to mount a ratchet 27 on the spindle, adapted to be driven by a pawl 28. biasing the pawl 28 in the driving direction (leftward in FIGURE 1) by means of a tension spring 29, and intermit-tently drawing the pawl 28 in the opposite direction by a magnet coil or solenoid 30.

A slip-clutch 38 or its equivalent is provided between the ratchet 27 and the turn-table 17 so that the latter can be manually rotated in reverse direction during the initial setting'of the slave disk into proper starting position. This adjustment is facilitated by the enlargement 57- at the outer end of the spiral .guideway, since. the movement of theslave disk .in the reverse direction is brought to. a halt when this enlargement encounters the end of the guideway follower 23. I

The coil 30 is in an electric circuit which includes the power source 31 and a m ake-andrbreak switch 32. The latter is arranged adjacent to the record 13, and cooperates with the special underlay in such a way that the switch 32 is actuated momentarily at least once during each revolution of the record 13. In the apparatus A preferred arrangement consists in illustrated, there is -a single momentary actuation of the switch 32 during each revolution of the record, and the actuation consists of a closing of the switch contacts thereby energizing the coil 30. This, in cooperation with the action of thespring 29, advances the ratchet 27 and hence the slave disk 29 through a predetermined increment of movement.

The power source 31 also energizes two other circuits,

in parallel with the circuit of the coil 30 and switch 32. One of these circuits is designated 58, and includes an electric lamp 59 which lights up when the main switch 37 is closed to indicate to the user that the electric power has been turned on. The other circuit, designated 60, is the signal circuit which alerts the user at predetermined intervals during the playing of the record 13. The circuit 60 preferably include a visual signal in the form of a small electric lamp 33, and in accordance with the present invention this circiut also includes a solenoid 61 for actuating a counter 62, and -a convenience relay 63. The activation of the signal circuit 60 is controlled by the make-and-break device carried by the guideway follower 23. This device is best illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 6a, and consists of a pair of relatively movable switch contacts 64 and 65, the circuit 60 being closed when the contacts come together, as indicated in FIG- URE 6a, and the circuit being de-energized whenever the contacts are separated, as shown in FIGURE 6.

The switch 32, chosen for illustration in FIGURES 4- and 5, comprises a housing 34 for the two switch contacts 39 and 40. The contact 40 is so designed and mounted that it is resiliently biased toward the right, as viewed in FIGURE 5. At its end, the contact 40 carries a follower 41 which projects laterally from the housing 34 into a position closely adjacent to the edge of the record 13. The follower 41 need not necessarily contact the edge of the record 13, but is brought into a position in which it will be re ularly encountered and moved by the projecting area 66 formed on the marginal edge of the special underlay 55. One way of bringing the follower 41 into proper position is to mount the switching housing 34 on a pedestal 42 whose base 43 is provided with means for anchoring it. For example, the base may be provided with a magnet 44- on its under face, whereby the placement of the switch on any metallic surface, such as the top wall of the record player 10 will establish a stable magnetically-held relationship. If desired, a suction cup could be provided for this purpose, or the base 43 might be weighted so as to stabilize it in the desired location.

The contacts 39 and 40'may be made of minute size, since very little power is required to actuate the magnet coil 30. Accordingly, the movable contact 40 may be formed of a thin light-weight springy wire or the like whose inherent springiness urges it constantly toward the position shown in FIGURE 5. Since the'motion required to bring the contact 44) into engagement with the contact 39 is very small (a minute fraction of an inch will suflice), and since the force required to move the element 40 is also small, the parts may be madeof unusually light weight material, and the entire switch device 32 can be barely an inch long.

Except for the protrusion 66, the underlay 55 has a diameter smaller than that of the record 13, so that the lifting of the record from the turn-table is facilitated. An alternative arrangement, which does not have this advantage, is shown in FIGURE 12. In this case the underlay 67 has a peripheral edge which is, throughout most of its extent, greater in diameter than that of the record 13 (indicated by dot-and-dash lines in FIGURE 12), and is provided in one region with a cut-away 68. In this case the switch contacts 39a and 40a are arranged in such a way that the follower 41a, riding on the periphery of the underlay 67, presses the contact 40a against its resilient bias, thus maintaining the contacts in a separated condition, throughout most of the revolution of the underlay 67. However, whenever the follower 41a encounters the recess 68, the inherent resilience of the contact 40a moves it into engagement with the contact 3-9athus closing the signal circuit.

In FIGURE 10 we have shown some of the details of the counter mechanism 62 and the solenoid 61 which actuates it. The counter chosen for illustration has two selected intervals along its extent.

of these drums displays units through the window 71 in the wall of the casing 18; the other drum indicates tens. The counter is thus able to expose to view a succession of indicia ranging from numeral 1 to numeral 99.

The drums 69 and 70 are arranged side by side on a common axis of rotation, and are interconnected by gear mechanism (not shown) which advances the tens wheel one step at the completion of one complete revolution of the units wheel. The latter is actuated by a pawl 72 and ratchet 73. The ratchet 73 is mounted on the shaft 74 of the wheel 69, and the pawl 72 is at the end of an arm 75 pivoted at 76 to the core 77 of the solenoid 61. The solenoid core 77 is advantageously secured at its rear end to the piston 78 of a kind of dash-pot in which a compression spring 79 cushions the drum-actuating movements of the core 77.

A spring 80 biases the pawl arm 75 toward the ratchet 73, and the arm 75 is preferably made of such a length that in the deenergized condition of the solenoid 61 the spring 79 pushes the pawl 72 entirely clear of the ratchet 73, as shown in FIGURE 10, so that under these conditions the drum 69 is freely adjustable in either direction. These adjustments may be eifected manually, by insertion of the finger upwardly through the aperture 81 in the lower wall of the casing 18.

The drums of the counter are preferably constructed with inwardly directed shoulders, whereby a spring-pressed detent 82 is adapted to hold the drum in position after each increment of movement.

Referring now to FIGURES 2, 3, and 6-9, it will be observed that the slave disk 70 is a single element of molded plastic or the like. A spiral guide rail such as that shown at 56 is preferably formed on each surface of the disk, whereby a single slave disk is reversible, just like the record 13 itself, and can thus service the apparatus for both sides of the record 13. The spiral guideway on the under side of the slave disk 20 is indicated at 83.

As hereinbefore noted, each spiral guideway on the slave disk 20 has alternately arranged variations along its extent. These may be created by forming depressed parts 84 at selected intervals along the extent of the rail or guideway 56. Pivotally supported by the guideway follower 23, as at 85, is an arm 86 having one end 87 resting upon and riding on the top face of the rail 56, and having its opposite end 88 in engagement with the springy contact 65. As long as the end 87 engages with the relatively raised regions of the rail 56, it presses the contact 65 downwardly away from the contact 64, as shown in FIGURE 6. However, whenever the end 87 of the arm 86 enters one of the depressions 84 the rear end 88 rises, as shown in FIGURE 6a, allowing the contact 65 to spring into touching relation to the contact 64, thus closing the signal circuit 60.

- The arm 86 may be weighted or controlled by a spring (not shown) to urge its end 87 constantly in a downward direction against the guideway.

The housing 23 is of inverted-U cross section, and the arm 86 and the contacts it controls are mounted within the confines of the housing in a desirable shielded condition. Since the contact points are guarded against injury, they may be composed of high quality material best suited for the purpose. At its front end, the follower housing 23 is provided with downward extensions 89 on its side walls, these extensions resting upon the body of the slave disk on opposite sides of the rail.56, whereby the follower is properly guided, and the arm 86 constantly maintained in operative engagement with the guideway 56, as the slave disk rotates.

A possible alternative arrangement is shown in FIG- URE 11, in which the slave disk 26a is provided on each surface with a spiral guideway 56a, the latter being provided with relatively raised or elevated portions 84a at In this case the arm 8601 has its inner end 83a in engagement with the upper contact 64a, and whenever the end 87a of the arm encounters one of the raised parts of the guideway the contact 64a is pressed downwardly into touching relation to the contact 65a, thus closing the signal circuit.

In practicing the invention, the housing 18 of the slave disk mechanism is of hollow construction, and the ratchet mechanisms that operate the turn-table 1'7 and the counter 62. are mounted Within it. If the power source 31' is a battery, this may also be mounted within the housing 18. The signal lamp 33 is preferably mounted in a side wall of the housing 18, and the main switch 37 may be mounted in any desired accessible position either on a side wall or on the top wall. It is of advantage to mount the lamp 59 in direct proximity to the window 71 of the counter 62, so that the indicia displayed by the counter are constantly illuminated when the mechanism is operating.

Since the lead wires 54 extending to the switch 32 may be of any desired length, the major part of the auxiliary apparatus may be located at a considerable distance from the record player itself, and the only element brought into proximity with the record player is the switch 32. As hereinbefore described, this is set in inconspicuous fashion alongside the record 13.

An alternative control of this switch, eliminating the necessity for a follower such as that shown at 41, is indicated in FIGURE 13. In this case, the underlay 917 is provided along one part of its edge with a magnetic element 91. The two contacts of the switch 32 are designated 92 and 93:, the latter being the movable contact. It is provided with a magnetic element 94 which cooperates with the element 91 in moving the contact 93 whenever the magnetic elements come into proximity. Actual contact between them is unnecessary. By Way of example, the element 94 may be a small magnet, and the element 91 may be a metallic band or strip. Other cooperable magnetic elements or pieces may obviously be employed.

It is thought to be obvious from the foregoing that a separate slave disk is provided for each recording to be listened to. Its depressions 84 (or elevations 84a) will be so located that at the times when commentary or explanation is desired, the signal circuit will be completed so as to alert the listener and thereby enable him to refer to a printed commentary previously prepared for that particular recording. This commentary will be provided with sequential indicia corresponding to those displayed by the counter 62. In this way the commentary can be referred to at any time during the playing of the record, since coordination is established by means of the counter.

The variations in the guideway of the slave disk, whether they be depressions or raised parts or other expedients of similar nature and purpose, are alternately arranged, and those which operate to close the signal circuit are positioned so that this will happen during rest periods of the slave disk. In this way the signal circuit will remain operative for a predetermined minimum period. For example, if the contacts of the switch 32 are closed once during each revolution of the record 13, the signal circuit will remain in operation for at least one full revolution of the record 13. If it is thought to be desirable, the depressions or raised parts or other variations in the guide rail may be made long enough in extent to keep the signal circuit closed during a predetermined succession of rotative movements of the record 13. Usually, a signal light or other device that is maintained operative for two or three revolutions of the record 13 is most effective to alert the average listener in satisfactory fashion.

The manner of use of the apparatus is as follows:

The slave disk 25} having been placed upon the auxiliary turn-table 17, the follower arm 21 is set upon the outermost turn of the guideway 56, and the slave disk is manually turned in reverse direction (made possible by the slippage of the clutch 38) until the end of the follower arm 23 encounters the enlargement 57 at the outer end of the rail 56. The turn-table 12 of the record player is then set into operation, and at the instant when sound first emanates from the record .13 the switch 37 is closed. The apparatus is then properly synchronized and will function automatically throughout the playing of the record 13.

Since the auxiliary turn-table 17 advances through intermittent increments in direct dependence upon rotative movement of the underlay with which the record 13 is in non-slip engagement, it follows that slippage of the underlay on the turn-table 12, or irregularity in the speed in the rotation of the turn-table, have no effect upon the desired accuracy of synchronization. Similarly, in initially monitoring the record for the purpose of placement of the variations in the guideway in desired locations (prior to the manufacture of the slave disk 28) the editor can rely solely upon the sounds he hears, and is not required to specify points of interest in terms of turn-table revolutions or speed or stop watch time intervals, each of which is obviously variable from one record player to another.

The apparatus illustrated, and the circuits shown, have proven satisfactory in practice. The auxiliary turn-table unit is small and compact, and can be made as small as six inches or so in width. The power required can be furnishd, if desired, by simple inexpensive batteries, or it can be derived (with appropriate reductions in voltage if necessary) from ordinary house current. The slave disks are inexpensive, light in weight, sturdy, wear-resistant, and manufacturable in large quantities at low cost. They can be composed of unbreakable material, preferably plastic or its equivalent. The counter illustrated has only two drums, but obviously more drums can be provided, if desired, and indicia other than numerical markings can be employed. The optional convenience relay coil 63 may be associated, if desired, with a convenience outlet, so that any desired additional signaling instrument (such as a large fioodlight, or other apparatus calling for greater power or voltage than is available at the power source 31) may be readily plugged in.

It is to be understood, of course, that many of the' details herein described and illustrated have been furnished merely by way of example, and that they may be modified in numerous respects by those skilled in the art without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. An accessory apparatus for use with a phonograph record player in which a phonograph record is continuously rotated, comprising a slave disk and means for supporting it for rotation, means for rotating said slave .disk in timed relation to the rotation of said record, a

spiral guideway on said slave disk having alternately arranged variations along its extent, a guideway follower, an electrically operable signal, a signal circuit including a make-and-break means, and means carried by said follower and responsive to said guideway variations for actuating said make-and-break means in step with said alternations, said make-and-break means comprising a pair of relatively movable contacts carried by said follower.

2. An accessory apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which said guideway variations are ridges and depressions incapable of conducting electricity, said responsive means being a pivoted arm having one part in operative engagement with the guideway and another part in operative engagement with one of said contacts.

3. An accessory apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which said pair of relatively movable contacts are adapted to come together and move apart in a vertical direction, said guideway being an upstanding rail and said variations being relatively elevated and depressed parts along said rail, said raised and depressed parts being incapable of conducting electricity, said responsive means being a pivoted arm whose pivot is substantially hori-- .zontal, said arm having one ,endresting upon said rail contacts being mounted within the confines of said elon gate housing, said guideway being an upstanding rail and the variations consisting of raised and depressed parts in the top surface of said rail, said raised and depressed parts being incapable of conducting electricity, said responsive means being an arm pivotally mounted within said housing and having one end riding on said rail and the other end in operative engagement with one of said contacts.

5. An accessory apparatus for use with a phonograph record player in which a phonograph record is continuously rotated, comprising a slave disk having a spiral guideway with alternately arranged variations along its extent, said variations being incapable of conducting electricity, a guideway follower, a turn-table for supporting said slave disk, electrically operated drive means for imparting intermittent movements to said turn-table, a circuit for said drive means including a switch, means for operating said switch at least once during each revolution of said record so as to impart increments of movement to said slave disk, an electric signal, a single circuit including a make-and-breal; means, and means on said follower responsive to said guideway variations for actuating said make-and-break means in step with said alternations.

6. An accessory apparatus as defined in claim 5, in which said switch includes a movable contact supported alongside of and in proximity to the edge of the record, said switch operating means being an underlay for the record having a non-slip upper face, and means on the edge of said underlay for actuating said movable contact.

7. An accessory apparatus as defined in claim 5, in which said switch includes a movable contact supported alongside of and in proximity to the edge of the record, said switch operating means being an underlay for the record having anon-slip upper face, and means 'on the edge of said underlay for actuating said movable contact, said means comprising a projecting area extending radially outward beyond the edge of the record, the remainder of the underlay having a diameter less than that of said record.

8. An accessory apparatus as defined in claim 5, in which said switch includes a movable contact supported alongside of and in proximity to the edge of the'record, said switch operating means being an underlay for the record having. a non-slip upper face, and means on the edge of said underlay for actuating said movable contact, said means comprising a cut-back in the marginal region of said underlay, the remainder of the underlay having a diameter greater than that of said record.

9. An accessory apparatus as defined in claim 5, in which said switch includes a movable contact supported alongside of and in proximity to the edge of the record, said switch operating means being an underlay for the record having a non-slip upper face, and means on the edge of said underlay for actuating said movable contact, said means comprising a magnetic element carried by said underlay and adapted to cooperate with said movable contact to move it by magnetic action.

10. The combination with a phonograph turntable adapted to support and continuously rotate a record thereon, of an electric circuit intermittently actuated in timed relation to the rotation of said record, said circuit including a switch alongside of and in proximity to the edge of .the record, an underlay between the turntable and the record and movable therewith, and means on the edge of said underlay for operating said switch at least once during each revolution of said record.

11. The combination of elements defined in claim 10,

in which said switch includes a movable contact supported so as to be resiliently biased in one direction, and said underlay having a marginal edge contoured to engage said contact and exert greater and less bias-opposing pressure against it at alternate intervals during record rotation.

12. The combination of elements defined in claim 10, in which said switch includes a movable contact supported so as to be resiliently biased in one direction and a contact-moving element carried on the marginal edge of said underlay, said element and said contact being magnetically cooperable without mutual engagement.

13. An accessory apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which said electrically operable signal comprises an elec tric lamp and a counter illuminated thereby, said counter being provided with means for displaying, upon each actuation thereof, the next of a series of sequential indicia, said signal circuit including a solenoid for actuating said counter.

'14. A11 accessory apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which said electrically operable signal comprises a lamp and a counter, and in which said signal circuit includes a solenoid for said counter and a convenience outlet relay for activating optional additional signaling apparatus.

15. A slave disk of the character described, comprising a centrally-apertured non-conductive circular element adapted to fit on a turn-table, and a raised spiral guide rail on the obverse face of said element, said guide rail having alternately arranged high and low areas adapted to impart up-and-down movement to a control element riding there- 16. A slave disk as defined in claim 15, said element and guide rail being integrally formed of a single molded plastic body.

17. A slave disk as defined in claim 16, therebeing a similarly formed guide rail on the reverse face of said element.

18. A guide rail and follower mechanism of the character described comprising a centrally-apertured non-conductive circular disk adapted to fit on a turn-table, a raised spiral guide rail on the obverse face of said disk provided with alternately arranged high and low areas along its extent, a follower in engagement with said rail and constrained to move in a substantially radial direction as the disk rotates, and a movable control arm riding on said rail and articulated to said follower for up-and-down movement in response to its encounter with said high and low areas.

19. An electric make-and break device for a circuit to be energized and de-energized in accordance with a predetermined sequence pattern, comprising a disk adapted to fit on and be rotated by a turn-table, a raised spiral guide rail on the obverse face of said disk provided with alternately arranged high and low areas along its extent, said high and low areas being incapable of conducting electricity, a follower in engagement with said rail and constrained to move in a substantially radial direction as the :disk rotates, a movable arm riding on said rail and articulated to said follower for up-and-down movement in response to its encounter with said high and low areas, and a pair of relatively movable electric make-and-break contacts carried by said follower and controllable by the movements of said arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 985,943 Sachs Mar. 7, 1911 1,420,928 Jones et a1. June 27, 1922 1,834,886 Barton Dec. '1, 1931 2,231,938 Miessner Feb. 18, 1941 2,279,119 Freimann Apr. 7, 1942 2,587,970 Courtis et al Mar. 4, 1952 2,693,520 Bruno Nov. 2, 1954 2,858,388 Eastman Oct. 28, 1958 

